Movable barriers of various kinds are known in the art, including but not limited to horizontally and vertically sliding barriers, vertically and horizontally pivoting barriers, single-piece barriers, multi-piece or segmented barriers, partial barriers, complete barriers, rolling shutters, and various combinations and permutations of the above. Such barriers are typically used to control physical and/or visual access to or via an entryway (or exit) such as, for example, a doorway to a building or an entry point for a garage.
In many cases, a motor or other motion-imparting mechanism is utilized to effect selective movement of such a movable barrier. A movable barrier operator will then usually be utilized to permit control of the motion-imparting mechanism. In some cases a user may control the movable barrier operator by assertion of one or more control surfaces that are physically associated with the movable barrier operator. In other cases such control can be effected by the transmission of a wireless remote control signal to the movable barrier operator.
A wireless remote control apparatus typically serves to source selective transmission of such a wireless remote control signal to a corresponding movable barrier operator. To facilitate this, the movable barrier operator will typically be provided with a compatible receiver. So configured, a not un-typical prior art movable barrier operator system will comprise a system that utilizes a one-way wireless communication link.
Movable barrier operator systems have been proposed or exist that include a two-way wireless communication capability in order to permit control signaling to be sourced from the movable barrier operator. For example, it has been proposed that a movable barrier operator can transmit a command signal that comprises a query command signal. A corresponding wireless remote control apparatus that receives this query command signal will then respond to the query command by transmitting an acknowledgement signal. So configured, the movable barrier operator can then conduct or modify its own functionality and actions to take into account the proximal presence of the wireless remote control apparatus.
Unfortunately, the various known movable barrier operator systems are not wholly satisfactory to accommodate the potential needs of all desired applications. As one example, pursuant to these various teachings, the wireless remote control apparatus typically comprises a relatively simplistic remote interface to the movable barrier operator itself. In general, although a command signal can be transmitted by a remotely position user via such a wireless remote control apparatus, overall command of the movable barrier resides with the movable barrier operator itself. Such centralization can lead to communication disconnects. As one simple illustration, a user of a wireless remote control apparatus can press an “open” button on the apparatus when intending to cause a corresponding movable barrier to move to an opened position. When performing this action while the wireless remote control apparatus is yet out of range, however, the movable barrier operator will not receive the wireless command signal, the movable barrier will not change state, and the user will have to reassert the “open” button upon confirming in some fashion that the previous instruction was not effective.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.